Love Pride Sacrifice
by stelenaklaroline
Summary: Emma, daughter of Snow White and Charming was supposed to mary Prince Matthew so they could at some point become queen and king. But everything changes when Hook comes into her life and turns it upside down completely. A Captain Swan fanfiction
1. Picking up the pieces

Once upon a time there was a princess called Emma, who lived in a castle in the enchanted forest with her parents, the queen Snow White and King Charming. Emma had long, blonde, curly hair, ivory skin and eyes of emerald green. She was a hell of a girl, no wonder that Prince Matthew didn't hesitate to accept immediately when his father told him he was gonna marry her. You could describe Emma's life as perfect, as a dream but something has always been missing. Emma wanted danger, adventure, she didn't wanna spend her life on the side of a man, never achieving anything and yet she had agreed to the marriage only because she didn't wanna disappoint her beloved parents.

It was this one day that made Emma's life turn completely. The day a certain pirate called Hook came into her life. Slowly, without recognizing he cralwled under skin and he wasn't gonna leave. Still, she had made her decision to marry Prince Matthew and she wouldn't break that promise.. would she?

Will Emma be forced to choose between who she wants and who she should want?

Will Hook learn to believe in love again?

Is it true that real love does conquer all?

It's not about what you're running from, it's about what you're running to.

* * *

"Your majesty" a servant called through the hall while kneeling down in front of Snow and Charming. "Prince Matthew."

David stood up from his throne, a bright smile on his face.

"Matthew, what a pleasure to see you again, it's been too long." Walking towards Matthew, with open arms, David hugged him.

"The pleasure is mine, your majesty." Matthew answered and bowed down quickly.

"I see our guest has already arrived. Marvelous." Snow smiled as she entered the hall, hooking her arm around David's.

"Did you find Emma?" David asked his wife.

"Oh yes I did." Snow nodded. ".. She just wanted to finish her walk through the gardens before she will join us for dinner."

"Walk through the gardens?" David asked with a frown. That was not really Emma-ish.

"Your majesty?" Matthew asked. "This is terribly embarrassing for me but.. would you mind if I brought a friend of mine to stay here with me? He has recently lost his.. home and doesn't know where to go."

"That's terrible." Snow frowned and looked up to David. "Of course he can stay, can't he?"

"Of course he can." David smiled and placed his hand on Snow's.

"What's his name?" She asked with a polite smile.

"Hook."

* * *

Emma sighed, sitting outside the castle on a wall, her arms crossed. She knew what this was all about. Her dad wanted Emma to marry Prince Matthew. She knew he wasn't doing this to be bad or rude or whatever, David really just wanted Emma to be happy, to be taken care of. But the princess couldn't even imagine to marry this foreign man, be a wife, have children. Emma was pulled out of her thoughts by someone clearing their throat behind her.

Turning around she looked into the face of an unknown man. "Excuse me? Do you know where I can find the king?" He asked.

"Err.. well you are in front of their castle. Obviously." Emma pointed towards the castle right behind them. "Guess you could just.. go in there."

"Suppose your right." The man started to walk a few steps towards the castle before he turned around to Emma again. "And what are you doing here, then?"

"Oh you know.. Enjoying the view." Emma tried to hold the laughter back. This man really had no idea who she was, had he?

"Well I suppose you should get going, lass. Before the guards see you." The man pointed to the guards standing in front of the castle. "Will you tell me your name though?" He asked.

It wasn't until now that Emma realized that there was a hook on the spot where his hand was supposed to be. She frowned before shaking her head quickly.

"Emma.." She said tilting her head and narrowing her eyes at him.

"Emma.." The man repeated though it was more like a whispering. Turning around he started to walk towards the castle. He didn't even know why but he couldn't help himself but turning around to look at her one last time.

"Emma.." She said tilting her head and narrowing her eyes at him.

"Emma.." The man repeated though it was more like a whispering. Turning around he started to walk towards the castle. He didn't even know why but he couldn't help himself but turning around to look at her one last time.

* * *

"Emma?" Snow asked as she entered her room. "Are you still not dressed for dinner? It will be ready in half an hour."

"Well I'm not exactly in the dinner mood actually." The blonde told her mother, sitting on her bed.

"But.. Matthew awaits." Snow narrowed her eyes at her. "Is everything okay, sweetie?"

Emma starred up at the ceiling for several moments before looking at her mother, who now sat next to her. "It's just.. lately I feel like dad wants me to marry someone so badly he doesn't even see that.."

"See what?" Snow asked, stroking Emma's hair.

".. I'm maybe not ready. I'm not ready to get married or to become queen or to.. even be a princess.."

"Emma, darling, everyone at your age feels like this. Like you're not fitting in and like everything is wrong but this is gonna pass. You will someday be a wonderful queen and for now.. you're just supposed to enjoy life and as you know neither your father nor me is gonna force you into anything." Snow places a kiss on the head of her daughter. "Now let's get you dressed for dinner." Snow said with an excited smile on her face. "Did you already hear about Matthew bringing a friend? An one-handed friend?"

Emma smirked. "I think I did."

* * *

Everyone was already sitting around the table, waiting for Snow and Emma to arrive.

"Women. Always need to make an entrance." Charming smirked at Hook and Matthew.

Hook rolled his eyes. He was absolutely sure this _princess_ Matthew was supposed to marry was just as spoiled as every other princess he had met.

"Her majesties, the queen and the princess." The servant said.

The door to the dining room opened and Hook almost choked at the sip of wine he had just taken. The girl, that walked into the room next to Snow, that was the girl he had seen in front of the castle. Emma. Hook narrowed his eyes at her and in return she gave him a cheeky smirk.

During the whole dinner he couldn't take his eyes off of her for a second, yet he tried to stare at her without anyone noticing. This girl, this.. _princess _had completely fooled him earlier. He could count the people that had done that on one hand.

"Soo.. Hook. Matthew told us you lost your home recently. May I ask how?" Snow tilted her head.

Hook took a deep breath. "Well.. my ship, on which I had lived was recently burned down."

"By who?" Snow asked. This was just too cruel for her to accept.

"The same man who took my hand. Rumplestilskin." Hook said bitter.

Snow and Charming took the air in sharply at the same time. "Why would he do that?"

"Because I took something from him first. Long time ago. His wife."

* * *

When the dinner was finally over, Emma slipped out of the uncomfortable dress immediately and had a maid untighten her corsage. Putting on something more comfortable, Emma decided to go outside to enjoy the silence.

"So you're a princess." Emma heard 'Hook', or however he called himself, say behind her.

She stayed silent, hugging her arms around her body, looking up into the sky.

"No talking then.. Very well." Hook shrugged and sat down next to Emma on the wall.

The princess turned her head to face him, narrowing her eyes at him.

"What game are you playing here?" Emma asked.

"Depends on what you want to play with me, milady." Hook said with a smirk on his face before he blinked at her.

Emma scoffed before standing up. "I'm going to bed."

"I wish you sweet dreams, princess.. of me." The ever present smirk on Hook's face made Emma furious and she felt the urge to slap it off of him. But instead she scoffed again and turned around again to make her way to her bedroom.

She couldn't think of sleeping. This man made her go insane he was extremely rude, a pirate and he had stolen Rumplestilskin's wife. What kind of man does that? Yet she couldn't depend it on the woman because if Emma was completely honest his accent was pretty .. nice? And he also had really shiny blue eyes, they had something of an ocean.

Shaking her head she banned the thoughts off of her mind before she drifted away.

* * *

**A/N: Okay guys I have no idea if it's good or if it's bad so just let me know what you think about it by leaving me a review. much love - leah**


	2. Sometimes love is not enough

Emma had to make the maybe most difficult decision in her entire life. Was she ready to marry Matthew? – No definitely not. But she didn't want to let her parents down and she couldn't. They were too important to her and the princess knew Snow and Charming wanted her to marry Prince Matthew. So when Emma got up this morning, she had a feeling this could maybe be her last free day.

"I think I'm gonna go riding after breakfast, mother." Emma said while they were all sitting on the breakfast table.

"Well.. yes but surely you won't go alone, will you?" Snow asked and gave Emma a determining look. Emma knew her mother wanted her to take Matthew.

"I'm not a child anymore." Emma protested.

"Oh I would love to accompany you, sadly I already have plans for today. Still I agree with your mother, you can't go alone." Matthew said and Emma narrowed her eyes on him. Did he really think he could tell her what to do?

"Hook, would you mind?" The prince turned his head to the pirate on whose face a smirk appeared immediately.

"It would be my pleasure, _princess_." Emma didn't like the way he pronounced the word princess. It was almost like he was making fun of her.

"Emma, darling is this fine with you?" David asked her worriedly.

"If he coming with me means I can go, it's fine with me." Emma

* * *

After they had gotten the horses ready Hook and Emma rode through the woods.

"So, your parents want you to marry Matthew, don't they?" Hook asked with a slight grin on his face.

"Why would I even consider talking to you? You're a stranger to me." Emma snapped back, turning her head to face him.

"Well you don't need to. If you ask me you are kind of an open book. Still sometimes it is a lot easier to talk to a stranger." The one handed man smirked.

Narrowing her eyes at him the princess asked: "What do you mean 'kind of an open book'?"

"Well it didn't take me very long to figure out that Matthew is not really your style, is he?" The smirk on his face formed into a rather polite smile.

Emma shook her head quickly, getting lost in her thoughts for a moment. "It doesn't matter. I mean.. it's not like I have a choice." She let a bitter laughter escape her mouth.

"Oh come on darling, you always have a choice."

"You're right. I do have a choice. It's either my parents and the happiness of the kingdom or .." Emma hesitated. Why on earth was she opening up to him? "Forget it."

"Don't need to say any more, lass. I can already see right through you." The sassy smirk was back.

"What do you even mean?" Emma asked, raising her voice.

"You don't want to spend your life on the side of a man, you want to achieve something, adventure and danger." Hook blinked at her.

What in hell? "Did you.. read my diary or..?" Emma asked in a serious tone.

Hook answered with a laugh.

"You know what?" Emma said through gritted teeth. "Your turn to answer my questions."

"Whatever you wish, milady." Getting off the horses they started to walk next to each other.

"First, you gotta tell me your real name. Your name can't seriously be _Hook_." Emma couldn't hold a giggle back.

He hesitated. "Killian Jones."

"Killian? And this name is so bad that you hide it behind the name _Hook_?" The princess tilted her head.

Narrowing his eyes at her, Hook took a deep breath.

"This was only the first question though. Second is, who's the woman you talked about at dinner? And.. where is she now?" The words came too quick and Emma bit her tongue, wishing she could take them back.

Hook scoffed, a smirk on his face. "Why is it that you refuse to answer any of my question and I'm being forced to answer yours, _princess_?"

Emma rolled her eyes at him. "And why is it that you always seem to pronounce the word princess as if it was something bad?"

Hook bit his lower lip. "Let me tell you this, darling: You're a tough lass, you would make a bloody hell of a pirate."

Emma frowned. Pirate? She? No way in heaven. "Pirate?"

"Why is it that you pronounce this word as if it was something bad?" Hook asked, widening his eyes, miming her accent.

The princess scoffed but couldn't hold laughter back. "You know what? I- ouch." Emma tripped and twisted her ankle, letting go of the horse that immediately ran away.

Losing her balance, Emma felt how her feet left the ground but instead of hitting the hard ground she felt strong arms catching her.

"Easy love, I don't want the king to execute me for not taking care of his daughter. Are you alright?" Hook asked, helping her to get onto her feet again.

When her left foot touched the ground, Emma felt an aching pain causing her to grab Hook's arm.

"Killian" Emma cried out in pain. "I don't think I can walk."

Hook tried to focus. "Well.. _Princess_. Seems like I will have to carry you then." The ever present smirk on his face returned and Emma felt her cheeks blushing when he blinked at her.

The next thing Emma felt was her feet leaving the ground and she found herself in Hook's pretty strong arms. What was it about this man, that made Emma want to know more and more about him? It wasn't until now that the princess realized how he stared at her.

When they had reached the castle, it was already late evening. Hook let Emma down. "Better now?"

"Yeah. It still hurts but I can walk. " She answered, starting to walk towards the dining room.

Nodding slowly Hook grabbed her arm with his. "Wait. Just let me give you one advice, darling. If you don't want to marry Matthew, don't. You have the right to decide for yourself who you want to spend your life with. It's your life, Emma." This was the first time Emma had heard seriousness in his voice.

She nodded slowly before they started to make their way to the dining room.

* * *

"Emma, I know we've only known each other for a short time, still it only took you this time to steal my heart and this is why I want to ask you, if you would do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

_If you don't want to marry Matthew, don't._

She heard Snow gasp in excitement.

_You have the right to decide for yourself who you want to spend your life with._

She closed her eyes to hold a tear back.

_It's your life, Emma._

"Yes." She pressed out before she opened her eyes just a tiny bit. Looking over to Snow and David who hugged each other, her look wandered over to Killian on whose face she swore she could see a little bit of pain. Matthew stood up and seconds later Emma felt a ring getting slipped onto her finger. The princess felt numb, even while Matthew pressed his lips against hers. Suddenly a wave of fear flooded her body, taking the feeling of freedom from her.

The princess could hear how Hook stood up from the table and left the dining room. Without thinking Emma pushed Matthew off of her, gently but determined, to limp after him.

"Killian I- I'm sorry." Emma whispered.

"Oh please, _princess_." Hook rolled his eyes. "You bloody well don't have to explain yourself to me. Whatever drove you into making this decision surely was more important than your own happiness." Emma could almost smell the irony in his voice.

"I just want to make my parents happy." She felt how her eyes filled with tears.

"Whatever you say." The bitter tone in his voice made Emma feel cold and somehow alone.

"Killian I-"

"Emma where – What are you two doing here?" Snow asked, narrowing her eyes at them.

"I was just telling Emma that I'm leaving tomorrow. It's time to rebuild my ship and to go back to where I belong." Hook told snow, a polite smile on his lips.

The princess turned her head in shock. He was leaving? He nodded towards Emma as if he could read her thoughts and walked off, towards his room. Emma looked after him, not even noticing how Snow observed her.

* * *

Again, Emma couldn't sleep this night. Her thoughts roamed about what she had agreed to do, how Matthew lied beside her, how she could hear him breathing and how she felt nothing. Standing up from the bed she made her way through the hallways of the huge castle, not even knowing where she was going until she found herself in front of Hook's bedroom door.

The princess hesitated but eventually decided to knock onto the door.

"Whoever this is better be naked." Emma heard Hook say inside, followed by a giggle.

She rolled her eyes and opened the door just a tiny bit.

"Princess? To what do I owe the pleasure of such a late night visit?" Hook raised an eye brow.

"I couldn't sleep and.. I don't know I just wanted to.. to thank you for today. When you carried me home.." Emma searched for the right words but for some reason she felt incredibly nervous but still somehow _safe_.

"Is this so? I could think of more than enough way for you to thank me." Hook smirked and blinked at her, walking a few steps towards her.

"Seriously? Stop making fun of me." Emma scoffed and turned around the intention of leaving, when his hook grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"I was kidding, _princess_." Hook said, suddenly all soft and nice. "After all you are engaged to my mate now, aren't you?"

Emma felt a tiny bit of pain hitting her heart. She swallowed hard, avoiding his look.

"Are you alright?" Hook asked, narrowing his eyes at her.

The princess nodded quickly, clearing her throat. "Yeah.. err.. I just wanted to say that I had fun today, apart from the part where I tripped..Now I should probably go to bed."

Emma turned around and walked towards the door not even giving him the time to answer. She opened the door hesitating, losing the sense of right and wrong before she turned around to run back to him, putting her arms around his neck, pulling him close to crush her lips onto his.

Hook didn't hesitate and brought his hands around her waist, pressing his body against hers. Emma knew that this wasn't right, of course she did but with every kiss the desire in her raised more and more. Ever since Hook came into her life she felt less alone, less lonely and freer.

Walking towards the bed, his lips never leaving Emma's, Hook threw her onto the bed. The princess bit her lower lip while Hook slowly kissed a trail from her mouth to her jaw, down to her neck. A moan escaped her mouth when his hand cupped her breast through the material of her sleeping gown. A smirk appeared on Hook's face when Emma flipped them around to get rid of her sleeping gown.

"Emma we sh-"

The princess shook her head, putting her index finger onto his lips. "Shh." Getting rid of the rest of their clothes, Emma kissed her way from his chest to his biceps and back to his chest. Flipping them around again, Hook took control, letting his index finger roam her body leaving goosebumps all over it until Emma finally felt them caressing her inner thighs. The princess whimpered longing for him to touch her.

"Please.." Her breath was heavy.

Hearing her beg was too much for Hook. Smirking, he put his fingers onto her clit, rubbing circles. Emma started to moan, grabbing his hair. She cried out in pleasure when Hook replaced his fingers with his tongue and slid two of his fingers into her pumping in and out of her in an even rhythm. The princess pouted when Hook pulled his fingers out of her, which made him smirk even more. Crawling onto her he placed his length on her entrance, teasing her. Emma put her legs around his hips and pulled him closer before he thrusted into her. Hook groaned pulling his length out of her completely before thrusting in again. His lips found Emma's, her teeth biting and sucking his lower lips, swallowing his moans. Emma sunk her nails into the flesh of his skin causing him to moan again. When Hook started to rub her clit while thrusting into her over and over again, she could feel her orgasm rise. Moaning his name loudly Emma came undone, her walls clenching around his length. Triggered by this, Hook followed her, spilling his seed into her. They rode out their orgasms before Hook crashed onto the bed, both still breathing heavily.

Pulling Emma inside his arms, Hook kissed her hair before they both peacefully fell asleep.

When Emma woke up the next moment she was disappointed to not feel Hook's arm around her. Her eyes still closed she reached to where he was supposed to lie but the bed was empty. She opened her eyes carefully only to find a tiny note on the bed.

_You deserve happiness, Emma. Find me when you are ready for it._

The princess covered her mouth with her hand, feeling the tears stream down her face.

* * *

**A/N: Okay second chapterrrrrr. I tried to avoid grammar mistakes but if there are any please know that english is not my mother tongue and i don't speak it fluently so yeah, still i'm very sorry for it.**

**i hope you like where the story is heading believe me i got some pretty cool idea's! love - leah**


	3. Love is sacrificing

„You look stunning, Emma." Snow whispered into the ear of her daughter.

Emma mumbled something, silently cursing this day.

Today was not just any day. It wasn't an accident that the princess stood in her room, in a snow white gown, dozens of people running around her, fixing her hair, her makeup. Today was Emma's wedding day.

"Will you leave us alone, please?" Snow asked the maids, before she walked towards her daughter. "What is wrong love? Please just.. just talk to me. Lately.. Lately, I feel like you are just putting this wall up as soon as anyone of us want to talk to you." She carefully caressed Emma's hair.

Snow was right; Emma did put up a wall whenever someone wanted to talk to her. Why? Well first, she was incredibly ashamed of what had happened that night with Hook but second, ever since Hook left, Emma had felt lonelier, more captured than ever. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, this night with Hook had changed her. Ever since that night Emma hadn't spent one day without thinking of him but at the end of the day she was just too big of a scaredy cat to actually run away from here, to follow him, to find him. The princess just couldn't and now she had to face the consequences.

"Emma?" Her mother asked, pulling the blonde out of her thoughts.

Shaking her head quickly, Emma turned her head to face Snow White. "What do you want to hear from me?"

Snow narrowed her eyes at her daughter. "I don't know, Emma. Today is your wedding day and I – I don't know I guess I just expected a little more.. Excitement."

"There is nothing to be excited about, mother. This –" She pointed onto her finger with a golden ring on it. "Is a compromise."

Snow White inhaled sharply, shaking her head slowly. "I don't want my daughter's marriage to be a compromise." Her voice broke.

Taking a deep breath Snow tried to pull herself together. "But Emma, honey, you can't leave Matthew, you're pregnant…"

Emma stayed silent, looking up to the ceiling emotionlessly.

"Except if.. Emma, no don't tell me… This is not about not wanting to marry Matthew, is it? This is about how you love someone else." Snow spent several moments thinking before it hit her. "Hook." Snow White gasped. Hearing his name, even if it wasn't his real name, left goosebumps all over Emma's arm.

"Emma is this child Hook's?" Snow raised her voice, shouting in surprise and shock.

The tears shot into Emma's eyes, she turned her head to face her mother.

"Oh my god." Snow breathed. "Oh my god." She said again.

The queen hesitated, looking from Emma to the door and back to Emma before she stood up to walk out of her daughter's room.

* * *

"Snow, where are you going?" Charming asked as his wife walked through the hallways of the huge castle.

"I need to do something." She answered not intending to stop walking.

"But the wedding is in 5 hours." David called after her with a confused voice.

"I'll be back by then." He heard Snow saying before she was gone.

* * *

It took the queen a while until she found his ship. Hook's ship. Everyone in the entire kingdom, including her husband, would think she completely lost her mind but Snow was determined to find Hook. She wanted her daughter to be happy, to find true, eternal love. No one could stop her from doing this.

"Hook?" Snow called, walking onto the ship.

"Your majesty?" Hook asked while he climbed out of his cabin, raising his eye brows. "Women who visit me uninvited usually just want the one thing."

"Punch you in the face?" Snow asked ironically, a polite smile on her face.

Hook licked his lower lip and was about to say something when Snow cut his sentence off.

"I'm not here to play games, Hook. As you should know today is my daughter's wedding day. However she doesn't really seem to be in a wedding mood. Do you have any idea why?" Snow White narrowed her eyes at Hook.

Hook's expression darkened, his voice was serious. "Why would I?"

The queen took a deep breath. "I already know everything, Hook. I've seen it in her eyes ever since you left the castle. And when.._ if_ you feel the same for her" She hesitated. "..then this wedding can't happen."

His eyes widened, he asked himself whether she was joking or not but the serious look on her face let her believe that it was actually true.

"Does Emma know you are here?" Hook asked and raised his eye brows.

Snow scoffed. "Of course not. Neither does the king."

"I appreciate you coming here, my queen but .. I have told Emma something before I left. That she shall come and search for me when she wants her happiness. I didn't mean you to come here to make me destroy her wedding." Hook pointed at Snow.

"That's not what I meant at all. I don't mean to destroy her wedding either but I want my daughter to find love. Come with me and I shall make sure that you can speak to her and t-"

"I can't. It's just not meant to be." Hook turned around.

"But.. don't you love her?" Snow asked him, her voice almost breaking.

"Of course I do, that's why I am not coming with you."

"Do not turn your back on me. Love is not letting go of someone, love is fighting, sacrificing, being brave, all because this one true love is worth it." Without realizing it, Snow had started to yell at the pirate who now turned to face her again.

"I'm sorry your highness but everything is said."

"But Emma is pre-"

"Everything is said." Hook said again before he made his way down to his cabin. Snow heard a door being slammed and closed her eyes to hold a tear back. That was not how she had planned this.

* * *

When she came back to the castle everyone was incredibly nervous and worried that something would not go as planned.

"Snow! Finally, I thought we had to organize a search squad to find you. Where have you been?" Charming asked as he ran towards his wife, kissing her forehead softly.

"I.. I .. It's nothing. I thought we forgot to invite someone and.. you know I went looking from him but he wasn't there so." Snow shrugged.

The king arched an eye brow. "Are you sure everything is alright?"

"Of course it is, my dear. Let's not worry about it now. Is everything prepared?" She asked, trying to change the subject.

"Everything is ready. At least I hope so. Emma is still in her room and I haven't seen her since this morning. Do you think she is well?" Charming asked worriedly.

"I shall think so. However, I will go up to see if she is alright. I will see you later." The queen gave her beloved husband a smile and started to walk up to Emma's room.

Instead of knocking though, Snow White looked around to make sure she wasn't followed and ran down to the front portal of the huge castle.

"If the pirate who once stayed with us arrives, you shall let him in and you shall not tell the king or Prince Matthew. Are we clear?" She asked a guard in a determining voice.

"Yes, your majesty."

Snow nodded. "Thank you."

* * *

Emma felt numb when the maids did her makeup, when everyone told her how beautiful she looked, how everyone envied her for marrying Prince Matthew. She looked into the mirror and tried to find something of the girl she once were. The happy, little girl that would ran around the palace, chased by her father, hiding behind guards who would play along. How she would crawl into her parents bed at night, how they would tell her stories about what they had experienced together, all the adventures. But Emma had to face the facts. She was not a little girl anymore. She was a princess, someday she would be a queen and she had to put the kingdom before her own happiness. The princess had decided to agree to give up her happiness and she would keep her promise.

Emma was pulled out of her thoughts when it knocked on the door. When it opened the maids bowed down and quickly left the room.

"I don't think you have ever looked more beautiful." Emma's father smiled proudly as he walked towards her to lay a hand onto her cheek.

The princess tried to pull herself together and pressed a slight smile out. "Thank you."

"Are you ready? Everyone is waiting." Charming offered his daughter his hand.

"Of course I am." Emma nodded, while she laid her hand into his, walking to the wedding she never wanted take part in.

* * *

"Will you, Matthew, have Emma to be your wife? Will you love her, comfort and keep her, and forsaking all other remain true to her as long as you both shall live?"

"I will."

"And will you, Emma, have Matthew to be your husband? Will you love him, comfort and keep him, and forsaking all other remain true to him as long as you both shall live?"

"I-"

"Stop! Stop this. No one is marrying anyone here." The door opened and Emma almost fainted when she saw who walked straight towards her.

Everyone in the room started to whisper and Emma could literally see her father's head blow up.

"Can we .. talk?" Hook whispered to her when he had reached them.

"Are you out of your mind?" Emma yelled at him.

"We will continue the ceremony in 10 minutes. If you could all come and join me in the ball room, please." Snow called into the round of at least 300 people before she quickly turned to Emma, Hook and a completely confused Matthew.

"Hook what are you doing here?" The prince asked his old friend but before he got an answer Snow had already grabbed Matthew pull him with her into the ball room.

Emma looked around a couple of people still standing there, including her father and the priest. Tears shot into her eyes and she ran out of the room.

"Why would you do this to me?" Emma yelled at Hook when they had reached Emma's room. "It is my wedding day and you dare to humiliate me in front of the whole kingdom like this? This was everything I tried to avoid." The princess let the tears stream down her face.

She turned around to face him and felt the urge to slap him when she saw his look wandering down her body. Hook's eyes widened when he saw the swollen belly of hers.

"Don't. Even. Think. About. It." Emma hissed.

Hook took a few steps towards her. "Emma?" He pointed to her belly. "Emma is this.. Is this my child?"

Emma started to shake her head, it almost seemed like she tried to convince herself. "No. No, Killian it's not your child, its Matthew's."

_Lie, lie, lie_, it pounded inside her head.

Hook felt an aching pain hitting his heart. Emma was pregnant; it was another man's child. He felt the rage coming up, asking himself why he even showed up here in the first place. Killian turned around and wanted to leave.

"Yes. Hate me, do whatever you want to. But remember that it was _me_ who woke up alone that morning in your room, it was _me_ who needed to sneek out of your room like some kind of whore, it's _me_ who has to live with the guilt." The tears didn't stop to stream down Emma's face and honestly, in that moment she thought she would faint any moment.

"You chose your kingdom over me, Emma. You chose the happiness of others over your own. That's not heroic, it's tragic." The princess could hear the pain in his voice and it felt terrible.

"I didn't even know you were an option to choose I mean.. We slept together and then you were gone. You didn't even give me the time to develop feelings for you.. Or at least to let them grow."

He walked towards her and left only a millimeter space between their faces. "You and I, we understand each other. Even if we only knew each other for such a short while, you trusted me and I trusted you. If only you would have had more faith in me, in us."

"Please, Killian. Please, just go." Emma hid her face in her hands.

"Have a _happy_ life, Emma." Hook said bitter as he left the room and slammed the door.

* * *

When Emma returned to the ball room she saw her father sitting on his throne, his hands covering his head and her apparently very nervous mother who walked up and down the room. When they heard Emma coming in Snow ran towards her and Charming stood up from his throne.

"Where is everyone?" The princess asked, her eyes swollen from all the crying.

"Where do you think everyone is? Gone. Including Matthew. The wedding is cancelled. Emma what did you think when yo-" The king got interrupted by Snow.

"Will you please be quiet for a second?" Snow hissed at her husband, before she turned to her daughter and whispered: "How did it go?"

Emma tried to hold the tears back but eventually gave up and broke down in her mother's arms. Several minutes later she also felt her father's arms going around her.

* * *

Later that night Emma stood on her balcony, her hands on her belly, looking into the stars when she heard an unknown voice behind her.

"Quiet a mess you got yourself into, dearie."

The princess turned around, her eyes widened when she saw a man with very unusal eyes and skin in front of her.

"Who are you?" Emma asked and swallowed hard.

"Oh, where are my manners? My name is Rumplestilskin and you are ...Emma." The man smirked and came closer.

"How do you know my name?" She asked while arching an eye brow.

"Oh you would be surprised if you knew how long I've already known you, my dear. It goes back to when the evil queen wanted to kill your mother. It was me who brought your parents together." The man blinked several times.

"And why would you do that?"

"So curious. Let me tell you the whole story... I wanted your parents to be together so they could create.. you." A mysterious laugh escaped his mouth.

"Me?"

"Of course. You are the product of true love, dearie. I enchanted your mother's engangement ring so your father would find her. However, there was a price. A price your parents didn't pay." Rumplestilskin's face darkened.

"What price?" Emma heard herself asking.

"You." Another mysterious laugh. "I was promised their first born child. Unfortunately, they were able to trick me. Someone like you, Emma is very hard to find these days. True love has almost become a.. fairy tale. Luckily for me. I didn't have to wait too long for a replacement." Rumple fixed his look onto Emma's belly.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh don't play dumb, dearie. We both know that this.." He pointed to her belly. "is not Prince Matthew's baby. This is the child of a certain pirate. He is your true love." A satisfied smile appeared on Rumple's face. "And you are his."

Emma started to shake her head.

"I. Want. Your. Child." Rumple came closer.

"No, you are not going to get it. Never." Emma yelled at him.

"We shall see." The princess heard a whisper and then he was gone. Emma closed the balcony door and hid herself under her blanket.

Rumplestikskin wanted her baby. Emma was Killian's true love. They were having a baby together. Rumplestilskin wanted it. He wanted to steal her baby, her chance of happiness.

Emma repeated this over and over in her head until she cried herself to sleep.

* * *

**A/N: first of all i'm so sorry for the hiatus but i spend the last week in italy without internet connection so i couldn't update the story. a very eventful chapter i think .. i don't know just tell me how you liked it. love -leah**


	4. If to people are meant to be

„I have the right to know, I am not a child anymore." Emma said with a high voice as she sat down across from her parents.

"Everything we did was so we could protect you, honey." Charming said calm as he took Snow's hand under the table.

"Your father is right. Rumplestilskin, the dark one, he is dangerous, more dangerous than you can expect." Snow nodded.

"But what does he want with me? And my baby?" Emma put her hands onto her belly.

Snow felt the rage in Charming coming up again. He had not been too pleased when he found out about his daughter being pregnant with Killian's child. Eventually he had accepted it though, he couldn't exactly change it anyways.

"He wanted you because you are the product of true love." A slight smile appeared on Snow's face, as she turned her head to Charming. Taking a deep breath the queen continued: "Apparently your baby is too, that's why Rumplestilskin wants it."

Emma shook her head and rested it in her hands. "I can't put the kingdom in danger; I can't put you in danger. I need to leave at once."

"You mustn't worry; it's not good for you or the baby. You are safe here, I will protect you." Charming stood up and walked around the table towards his daughter.

"You don't understand. If this man is really as dangerous as you say then we cannot risk anything. I must leave and I can't tell you where I'm going."

"Emma this is insane. You are pregnant how are you supposed to take care of yourself?" Snow asked her daughter. "We're not letting you go." Her eyes filled with tears.

"I will find a way. I'm doing this and no one is going to change my mind." The princess stood up and pulled her father into a hug.

A few moments later she felt her mother joining the hug.

"I love you." Emma whispered.

"No matter how far you go, we will find you. We will always find you." Snow White said with a warm motherly smile while tears fell down her rosy cheeks.

"I wouldn't dare to doubt that." Emma stopped her own tears from falling down her face as she pulled away from the hug.

She wouldn't let her parents see it but this, her leaving, it broke her heart.

* * *

Hook sighed as he prepared the Jolly Roger to sail off.

The captain was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard a well known female voice shouting his name.

"Killian?"

Hook couldn't see the face of the woman. Her whole body, including her face was wrapped into a cloak … but he didn't need to see her face. He knew who that was. Without hesitating he jumped off the ship and ran towards the woman.

He stopped a few steps in front of her.

"Emma?" Killian asked, narrowing his eyes at her.

Raising her head she got rid of the cloak and let a few tears of joy go. The fact to see him again, to not have to pretend that she didn't love him overwhelmed her.

"What are you doing here?" The pirate asked confused.

"I lied. The wedding was cancelled and the baby isn't Matthew's either. I didn't even sleep with him. I don't even know what I was thinking." The tears now streamed down her face.

"So ... the baby _is_ mine?" Hook's eyes lit up and he immediately stepped closer.

The princess nodded. "But that is not all. Last night I had a visitor. Rumplestilskin. He wants my baby, he wants our baby. So … I had to leave the kingdom but … I didn't know where to go and then I thought of you and …"

"It's okay, Emma. It's gonna be okay." Killian pulled her into a tight hug. "You are safe here."

"Are you sure, Killian? My parents said Rumplestilskin is the most powerful and dangerous man they know." The princess hid her face in his strong chest and inhaled his scent.

"Never underestimate someone who is acting for their child." A slight smile appeared on his face. He raised her chin so that she would look at him. "Emma I promise, there is no safer place for you than here with me. I won't let anything happen to you … I love you."

"I love you too." Emma whispered before Hook pulled her close to give her a deep kiss.

Pulling away, Hook's look got serious. "We must hurry. We cannot stay here."

"But.. where are we going?" Emma asked, raising her eye brows.

Killian pointed behind them. "With this."

Emma turned her head and finally realized. "Your ship."

"Then let's go. Wherever we're going, I will never leave your side again." The princess grabbed his hand as she stopped new tears from falling.

* * *

- Meanwhile in Snow and Charming's castle –

"What do you want from our daughter?" Charming asked as he pointed his sword towards the imp.

"Oh, you know exactly what I want from her, dearie. I want her child." Rumplestilskin giggled and crossed his fingers. "Do you mind to tell me where the lovely Emma is right now?"

"Actually we do. You will never have our grandchild, just like you never had Emma." Snow yelled, hiding behind her husband.

"We shall see." Rumple giggled. "Anyways, my time is restricted so spill it."

"She's gone. We don't know where she is and even if we did, we surely wouldn't think of telling you." Charming said with a sad look.

"What do you mean she's _gone_?" Rumplestilskin asked seriously.

"She fled, with the unborn baby to a safe place where you can't hurt her. You are going to lose." A slight smile appeared on Snow's face.

"And again all I say is: We shall see, missy."

Snow and Charming saw how a purple smoke appeared and then he was gone.

* * *

Snow and Charming saw how a purple smoke appeared and then he was gone.

- Several months later –

"I want the baby out now, Killian please do something it won't. Stop. Hurting." Emma yelled, sweat all over her body, lying in their bed, legs spread.

"You just have to push, sweetheart. Push through." He held her hand and though she nearly crushed it everytime a contraction hit her body, he wouldn't let go of it.

Emma let a last loud scream out before everything went silent for a second. When that second was over Killian and Emma heard a little creature crying. The princess sat up, slowly, still very weak.

Killian cleaned the baby and shook his head.

"I had never thought that I would at some point in my life … clean a baby." He raised his eye brows.

"That is all you have to say right now?" Emma snapped at the pirate.

A warm smile appeared on his face as he sat down next to Emma.

"No, actually it's not. Look how stunning she is." Hook smiled proudly as he handed her over to Emma.

"She? It's a girl?!" The princesses' eyes filled with tears of joy, as she held her daughter in her hands for the very first time.

"Have you already thought of a name?" Killian asked, smiling down at them.

Emma nodded quickly. "I was thinking of … Ava."

"Ava, Princess of the Pirates and the Sea. Sounds like music in my ears." Hook giggled, sitting down next to Emma.

"She has your eyes, you know?" The princess smiled before turning her face to Hook.

He sighed. "I will love you until the last breath leaves my body."

"I know, as I will love you." Emma smiled as he pressed his soft lips onto hers.

"Are you certain?" Hook asked after pulling away.

"What kind of question is this? Of course I am." Emma raised her eye brows.

"Well then … Princess Emma, will you do me the honor of bec-"

"Oh isn't that just adorable." A just too well known voice giggled from the corner of the cabin.

Hook immediately stood up; reaching for his sword just to notice that it was gone.

"Searching for this, dearie?" Rumple came out of the shadows, holding Hook's sword.

Emma tightened the grip around Ava, her face in complete shock.

"How did you find us?" She gasped.

"I told you, you couldn't hide from me. I'm here to collect." Rumplestilskin came closer.

"You are not taking her, I won't let you." Hook yelled.

"Oh I haven't come here to take her, dear. I've come here to take all of you."

In this moment Killian and Emma felt something pulling them towards Rumple and then it was all dark and cold.

* * *

"Killian? Killian?" Emma shouted, when she woke up in a room that could actually be a dining room.

"He's right here, dearie."

The princess turned around to see Killian being pinned against the wall by magic, he was bleeding and looked completely exhausted.

"Killian, oh my god! Stop it, what are you doing to him?" Emma tried to stand up from the chair but she just couldn't. Magic.

"I've decided to play a little game. There's only one rule: I make the rules." Rumplestilskin giggled and moved his sword towards Hook's leg.

"Leave him alone." Emma shouted across the room. "Where's my daughter?" Again she tried to release herself from the chair that forced her to watch Killian suffer.

"Ah, ah, ah! You don't get to ask the questions, dearie." Rumple said before he smashed his sword into Killian's leg and pulled it out again.

A scream of pain escaped his mouth and tears started rolling down Emma's face.

"Please, please just let him go." Emma begged.

"Oh I will, gladly. Though only if I can keep the baby." A satisfied smile appeared on Rumplestilskin's face.

Emma's eyes widened.

"You've heard right. I'm willing to strike a deal with you … Actually I am going to give you a choice. Who will it be princess?" Rumple asked as he walked towards Emma. "Your lover or your child?"

"Take … Take Ava, Emma. Take our child and get the bloody hell out of here." Hook coughed.

"No, no, no. I don't want to do this. I'm not leaving you here." The princess wiped her tears away but they wouldn't stop coming.

"You have to. Our child needs to be safe … We have to give her a chance to live."

"What will you do with him?" Emma felt the rage coming up as she turned her head towards Rumplestilskin.

"Oh I'm sure I will find a place for him … Maybe as my servant?!." Another smirk.

"Killian I'm not doing this." The princess shouted.

"Emma, look at me. I will live. I will find my way back to you." Killian nodded.

Rumple rolled his eyes. "We shall see. Is this your decision then? You treat your lover for your child?"

Emma closed her eyes. "I love you, Killian. I will always love you."

"And I love you."

"So shall it be then." Emma heard Rumple giggle and a few moments later it was all black around her.

"Oh … I forgot a tiny little detail, dearie. This deal is forever, which means I cannot take any risk of you two finding each other like your parents always did. So … you won't remember him." Another giggle.

"What?" Emma shouted.

* * *

"Emma? Emma? Oh god sweetie we thought you'd never wake up again." The princess heard the familiar voice of her mother saying.

"She is so beautiful, isn't she?" Charming asked.

Emma slowly opened her eyes to see him having Ava in his arms.

"Slow Honey. You have been down for quite a while." Snow said while gently pushing Emma back onto the bed.

"I want my daughter." Emma managed to get out. Her mouth was dry and she was feeling dizzy.

"Of course." Charming gave Ava into Emma's arms.

"Emma, honey we know you're exhausted but … we have to ask. Where's Hook?" Snow looked down.

"Hook? Who's Hook?"

* * *

**A/N: aaaaaah! i was really excited about this chapter! What do you think about it?**


	5. Maybe some day you'll find your way back

**A/N: My dear friends.. It's been ages since I've updated this fanfiction and I feel like I owe you an apology/explanation. First of all I'm terribly sorry, I know some of you actually quite enjoy this fanfiction and so do I but .. at the beginning of summer my grandpa got the diagnosis cancer. Ever since then my life has completely fallen apart (you should know that I have a very deep connection to him and I love him very much) and I just really didn't feel like writing a fanfiction. He's still in the hospital but I think he'll survive, at least I hope so. Maybe some of you can understand maybe some of you can't. However, please know that I'm terribly sorry and this chapter is a peace offering. I started it before summer and finished it in the last couple of days. I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

„What do you mean ‚Who's Hook?'" Snow asked and narrowed her eyes at her daughter.

"Yeah, well, who's Hook?" Emma raised her eye brows, concentrating on her child in her arms.

"The father of your daughter? The man we assumed you had fled to?" Charming sat down on the bed next to Snow White.

"Ava doesn't have a father. I made a deal with Rumplestilskin." Emma didn't understand what her parents wanted from her.

"So … he gave you Ava?" Snow decided to play along with it. "And what did you give him in return?"

"I" Emma started thinking before raising her eye brows. "I don't remember."

Snow turned around to face Charming. "Out."

They stood up and walked out of Emma's room into the hallway.

"You know what that means don't you? Rumple has captured Hook. Oh god he's probably torturing him. David, we got to do something." Snow grabbed her husband's hand.

"I know, I know but we must be careful. We don't have a daughter but a daughter _and_ a granddaughter to protect now."

"I will strike another deal with him." The queen nodded.

"Are you out of your mind? What do you want to give him?" Charming narrowed his eyes at her.

"Oh believe me, I know exactly what he wants …"

* * *

"Rumplestilskin!" Snow called through the huge mansion.

"Are my eyes deceiving me or is that my glorious flake of Snow?" Rumple smirked when he stepped out of the darkness. "Your majesty." He bowed down.

The queen rolled her eyes. "I'm not here to play games. I came to take Hook."

Rumplestilskin crossed his fingers. "I'm sorry dearie but … the pirate is mine. Your lovely daughter and I, we struck a deal."

"She doesn't remember him. Ava needs a father. I want to strike a new deal."

"And what could you possibly have that will peek my interest?"

A slight, sassy smirk appeared on Snow's. "The location of a certain lost love of yours."

The ever present smirk on Rumple's face disappeared immediately.

"You couldn't. She's dead." He said bitter.

"Is she?"

Rumplestilskin considered her offer for a moment. "The pirate for her location?"

Snow nodded slowly and reached her right hand out.

"Fine. Where is she?"

Snow White couldn't believe that he had actually agreed to that deal.

"Your precious … Belle is captured. My step-mother is holding her captive in the tower of her castle. Now release Hook."

"Just let me make one thing very clear here, your highness. If this is a trick, if I don't find her there … I will come after every single one of your family."

Rumplestilskin snapped his fingers and suddenly Snow saw Hook laying on the ground in front of her, bruised, battered but alive.

"Oh my god. Hook are you okay? Come on, let's go."

* * *

"He released him?" Charming asked confused as he helped Snow to get the pirate inside.

"Told ya."

"Where- Where am I?" The still very weak Hook asked Snow and Charming after they had laid him down in his old room. "Emma. Where's Emma? Where's my daughter?"

"Hook there is something we need to tell you." Snow said with a sad tone in her voice.

"The prices for Emma's freedom were her memories of you. She … She … Hook she doesn't remember who you are."

"What are you saying?" Hook asked angrily.

Charming grabbed Snow's hand when he noticed that she was about to burst in tears.

"I'm gonna have to make her fall in love with me again.." Killian mumbled more to himself.

* * *

Many weeks later Hook was still living with the Charmings, Emma still hadn't gotten memories back and she still hadn't fallen in love with him again.

* * *

„Let's go for a walk, shall we?" Hook asked and pointed towards the woods.

Emma nodded quickly and started walking next to the pirate. Hook noticed that this was the first time they were alone and it was also the first time she had agreed to go on a walk with him.

"So … you are a pirate?" The princess asked after they had made their way out of the castle.

"Aye that I am." Killian answered with a polite smile.

"So why aren't you out on the sea, on your ship?" Narrowing her eyes at him, she turned her upper body towards the man.

"Oh you know why, Emma." The smirk on his eyes quickly turned into a rather sad smile.

Emma raised her head. "Ah right … You think you are the father of my daughter and … that we were in love?!"

"Well it is the truth."

"Don't you think I'd remember?"

Killian scoffed. "Remember. You are cursed, Emma. You've been cursed by the most powerful creature in this world. Of course you don't remember and this … you not remembering , is my curse."

"But … if it brings you so much pain to be here, why don't you just go back to your ship … Search for a woman who loves you." Emma sat down on a big stone and looked up to Killian.

He sat down next to her and turned around to look deep into her eyes.

"Because you loved me … And because I would never be happy with anyone as long as you walked the earth." A slight, sad smile appeared on his face.

Emma tilted her head, looking at the man next to her. Was any of what he's saying true? Had she really been in love with him? But why .. why couldn't she remember?

"I'm sorry…" The princess whispered, laying her hand onto Killian's.

"I know you are." He answered, caressing her hand. "I just hope that one day you'll find your way back to me."


End file.
